Albuquerque Car Hire

No good

Pros: Nothing

Cons: Didn’t need it

DIfficulty in returning car

Pros: Ease of getting car.

Cons: I had to return the car by 4:00 am for a 5:00 am flight. I was provided instructions on how to return the car unattended as they did not open until 6:00 am. When I attempted to return the car the lot was closed off (with several other people waiting) and there was no entry except for another company. I was forced to park in a wrong place in order to make my flight and was charged for "towing". This would not have been an issue if their lot had been available as promised and directed.

Out for the money

Pros: Car ran

Cons: Car was not full of fuel when picked up after dark yet I am likely to be charged if I return it so. Car had a number of scratches but man at the gate would not leave his booth to document them. Our flight home was cancelled due to weather providing a three day delay. Thrifty showed no mercy or compassion. Charged us much more for those three days than the original contract and on top of that added an adjustment fee.

Cons: First time I have ever rented a car that old. The car had nearly 30,000 miles and no guts.

Overcharged by $150

Cons: After the flight we had to wait in line 30 minutes. Then the day after we turned it in my card was charged $125 more than the quote and receipt.

Cons: No more than 15 minutes after picking up our car the dashboard light for tire issues came on. We got off Route 25; found a gas station; had to buy a tire gauge because air pumps rarely have them anymore. Identified the tire that was low and continued from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. The following evening the light came on again. I took the car to a tire shop where they were unable to locate a leak but found that the valve stem was loose. They tightened it and I proceeded on my way. Two days later the light came on again. This time I called Dollar which was, of course, a very time consuming process. Ultimately the man with whom I spoke arranged with Hertz(!) at the Santa Fe Airport to give us another car. The process of getting there and making the swap and returning to Santa Fe took probably half a day off our vacation. The following day the tire warning on the "new" car came on. I returned to the tire place where they determined 2 of the tires were low. When we returned to Dollar at ABQ Airport the outside woman who checked us in was very friendly. She sent us to the inside counter where we recounted the story; and the young man told us he could credit us $25. We asked for a manager. He went in to her office and returned saying he could credit us $25. We demanded to see the manager who came out and ultimately took one day off our rental cost. We felt that was entirely inadequate compensation for all the time we lost and the anxiety we felt at various points. Neither the manager nor the man who reported to her ever so much as expressed regret about our experience, let alone actually offer an apology. I will never rent a car from Dollar/Thrifty again. Phyllis Willett